Your Disney World Early Entry Strategy Has To CHANGE in 2025

If you are heading to Disney World this year, there are some changes you will need to make to your old strategies.

If you are staying at a Disney hotel on your vacation, you are eligible for Early Theme Park Entry. This allows you to start riding attractions 30 minutes before non-Disney hotel guests, and it’s worth that early alarm clock. If you aren’t staying at a Disney hotel, you can still rope drop — be at the park so that as soon as it officially opens, you are off to ride! Either way, we are breaking down the strategies for both at every park today.

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Magic Kingdom

If You’re Staying at a Disney Hotel:

• • TRON could be a great first choice. If you’re eligible for Early Entry, getting in line before the park opens could save you a lot of time.
  • Plan around the new lands opening up for Early Entry. If you’ve already done Fantasyland and Tomorrowland attractions before, getting a head start on rides in Frontierland, Liberty Square, and Adventureland could be a game-changer.
  • Consider adding a character meet-and-greet to your morning. The addition of characters to Early Entry is currently only slated to run for a limited time from May 27th through September 1st, 2025. If you’ve got kids who love characters, knocking out a meet-and-greet early could free up more time for rides later.

If You Are Not Staying at a Disney Hotel:

• Avoid TRON for rope drop. Resort guests will already have a head start, so it may not be the best use of your time.
• Consider Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. While resort guests will already be in line, it may still be a better option than competing with the already-long TRON line.

EPCOT

If You’re Staying at a Disney Hotel:

• Head to Guardians of the Galaxy if you don’t want to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane for it. It is now open during Early Entry since there is no longer a virtual queue for the attraction.
• Not Everyone Will Be Able to Get Close to Remy’s. Know that unless you are staying at an EPCOT resort or on the Skyliner, you will not be able to access the International Gateway before rope drop. If you are coming through EPCOT’s main entrance, you can still head back to Remy’s, however ,you will get there much later than others at the International Gateway.

If You Are Not Staying at a Disney Hotel:

• Opt for Soarin’ or Frozen Ever After. These rides will likely have a shorter wait time with Cosmic Rewind and Remy’s taking up much of the Early Entry crowd.
• Purchase a Lightning Lane Single Pass for Cosmic Rewind. This wait will increase throughout the day, so if you don’t like to wait in the queues, we suggest purchasing the skip-the-line pass.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

If You’re Staying at a Disney Hotel:

• You Can Start the Fun! As everyone will be let into Hollywood Studios at the same time, resort guests will be able to begin riding 30 minutes before the park opens.
• Go For the Big Fish. Slinky Dog Dash and Rise of the Resistance are two very popular rides here. If these are a must-do, you’ll want to head straight there to have a much shorter wait.
• Plan to Pivot. We have experienced Slinky Dog Dash or Rise of the Resistance being down during Early Entry for maintenance. If this happens, don’t panic and head to another ride that you can knock out then.

If You Are Not Staying at a Disney Hotel:

• You’ll Be Held Inside. Unlike in previous years, everyone can scan into the park, and now nonresort guests will be held at checkpoints.
• Head for Tower of Terror, Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster, or Toy Story Mania. These rides will likely be less crowded when the park opens because Slinky Dog Dash and Rise of the Resistance are taking up much of the crowd.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

If You’re Staying at a Disney Hotel:

• Head to Flight of Passage. I know, it probably seems like the obvious choice, but it is a ride you are likely to get the most out of during Early Entry. You will be walked there from the entrance of the park by Cast Members, and it’s very organized.
• Head to Dinosaur and Everest. If you want to purchase a Lightning Lane Single Pass for Flight of Passage, you can likely ride Dinosaur and Expedition Everest during Early Entry — knocking out two rides before the park opens.

If You Are Not Staying at a Disney Hotel:

• Head for Kilamanjro Safaris. This ride usually opens right at park opening, so the wait will be low. They feed the animals in the morning, so they are usually very active before the heat of the day.
• You’ll Be Held at the Front. So similar to EPCOT, Animal Kingdom holds nonresort guests right after park scan-in during Early Entry.

We hope this helps you plan for your upcoming Disney World trip in 2025! Disney World is always changing and evolving, so we will bring you any updates to Early Entry or Rope Drop as they happen.

For more tips on having a successful Disney day, follow AllEars.net.

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Do you utilize Early Entry while on your Disney World vacation? Tell us your experiences below. 

 

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